Control Apparatus, Control Method and Computer Program

1. A control apparatus connectable to a hardware resource, comprising: a memory that stores an application program and a platform program; and a controlling unit that controls the hardware resource based on the application program, wherein the controlling unit is hierarchized into a logical access performing unit that performs a logical access to the hardware resource based on the platform program and a physical access performing unit that performs a physical access to the hardware resource based on the platform program.

2. A control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controlling unit sends an operation instruction based on the application program to the hardware resource, and the controlling unit performs inputting and outputting data based on the operation instruction.

3. A control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a specification detecting unit that detects a specification of the hardware resource; and an adjusting unit that performs an adjustment on the physical access performed by the physical access performing unit, wherein the adjustment performed by the adjusting unit reflects the specification detected by the specification detecting unit.

4. A control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a situation detecting unit that detects a situation of the control apparatus; and a adjusting unit that performs an adjustment on the physical access performed by the physical access performing unit, wherein the adjustment performed by the adjusting unit reflects the situation detected by the situation detecting unit.

5. A control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware resource is a sensor mounted on a vehicle.

6. A control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardware resource is an actuator mounted on a vehicle.

7. A control apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising: a recording unit that records an object hardware for which the application program is intended; and a determining unit that determines whether the object hardware is identical to the hardware resource or not, wherein when the determining unit determines that the object hardware is not identical to the hardware resource, the controlling unit emulates an operation to be performed by the object hardware and performs inputting and outputting data relating to the emulated operation.

8. A control apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising: another application program; and a selecting unit that selects an application program among the application program stored in the memory and said another application program, wherein the controlling unit controls the hardware resource based on the application program selected by the selecting unit.

9. A control system having a hardware resource and plural control apparatuses which are connected through a communication line, wherein each control apparatus, comprising: a memory that stores an application program and a platform program; and a controlling unit that controls the hardware resource based on the application program, wherein the controlling unit is hierarchized into a logical access performing unit that performs a logical access to the hardware resource based on the platform program and a physical access performing unit that performs a physical access to the hardware resource based on the platform program, the controlling unit sends an operation instruction based on the application program to the hardware resource, and the controlling unit performs inputting and outputting data based on the operation instruction.

10. A control method for a control apparatus connectable to a hardware resource, comprising steps of: storing an application program and a platform program; performing a logical access to the hardware resource based on the stored platform program; performing a physical access to the hardware resource based on the stored platform program; and controlling the hardware resource based on the stored application program, with utilizing the performed logical access and the performed physical access, wherein the step of performing the logical access and the step of performing the physical access are independent from each other.

11. A control method according to claim 10 , further comprising steps of: sending an operation instruction based on the application program to the hardware resource through the step of controlling; and performing to input and output data from the control apparatus based on the operation instruction.

12. A control method according to claim 10 , further comprising steps of: detecting a specification of the hardware resource; and adjusting the physical access based on the detected specification.

13. A control method according to claim 10 , further comprising steps of: detecting a situation of the control apparatus; and adjusting the physical access based on the detected situation.

14. A control method according to claim 10 , wherein the hardware resource is a sensor mounted on a vehicle.

15. A control method according to claim 10 , wherein the hardware resource is an actuator mounted on a vehicle.

16. A control method according to claim 11 , further comprising steps of: identifying an object hardware for which the application program is intended; determining whether the object hardware is identical to the hardware resource or not; emulating an operation to be performed by the object hardware, when it is determined that the object hardware is not identical to the hardware resource; and performing to input and output data relating to the emulated operation.

17. A control method according to claim 11 , further comprising steps of: preparing another application program; and selecting an application program among the stored application program and the prepared another application program, wherein the step of controlling the hardware resource utilizes the selected application program.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium recording a computer program for controlling a control apparatus connectable to a hardware resource, wherein the computer program when executed causes a computer system to execute steps of: storing an application program and a platform program; performing a logical access to the hardware resource based on the stored platform program; performing a physical access to the hardware resource based on the stored platform program; and controlling the hardware resource based on the stored application program, with utilizing the performed logical access and the performed physical access, wherein the step of performing the logical access and the step of performing the physical access are independent from each other.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 18 , wherein the computer program when executed causes the computer system to execute further steps of: sending an operation instruction based on the application program to the hardware resource through the step of controlling; and performing to input and output data from the control apparatus based on the operation instruction.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 18 , wherein the computer program when executed causes the computer system to execute further steps of detecting a specification of the hardware resource; and adjusting the physical access based on the detected specification.